228

" If the French Revolution were to recur eternally, French historians would be less proud of Robespierre. But because they deal with something that will not return, the bloody years of the Revolution have turned into mere words, theories, and discussions, have become lighter than feathers, frightening no one. There is an infinite difference between a Robespierre who occurs only once in history and a Robespierre who eternally returns, chopping off French heads.

Not long ago, I caught myself experiencing a most incredible sensation. Leafing through a book on Hitler, I was touched by some of his portraits: they remind me of my childhood. I grew up during the war; several members of my family perished in Hitler's concentration camps; but what were their deaths compared with the memories of a lost period in my life, a period that would never return ?

This reconciliation with Hitler reveals the profound moral perversity of a world that rests essentially on the nonexistence of return, for in this world everything is pardoned in advance and therefore everything is cynically permitted. "

-- Milan Kundra, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being"

228 massacre, happened in 28 February 1947, is one of the cruelest tragedies of Taiwanese history. Thousands of Taiwanese people were killed by the troops of the Nationalist Chinese who took over Taiwan from Japanese colonization after World War II. National terrorism oppressed the Taiwanese lasted for several decades. Innocent plebeians, students, teachers, professors, doctors, lawyers, journalists, congressmen, writers, and gentry were arrested, murdered, imprisoned, or banished. Until recently, many Taiwanese did not know about these incidents either. For almost forty years after World War II, the Taiwanese lived under martial law, unable to learn their history, afraid to ask.

After Taiwanese people's struggling for years, February 28 has been legislated as the national memorial day of Taiwan in 1997. However, several vital official documents and files relative to 228 massacre are still unable to be revealed, several victims are still unable to be rehabilitated or are even unknown. Murderers are still out of punishment. Seeling their eyes, the politicians showed their sorrow at the commemoration of 228. They urged people to forgive the misery and to embrace the happiness, they asked peopole to forget the past and to look forward the future, they addressed 228 is mere a story of no return. But where is the forgiveness and happiness if there is no confession of the misery ? Where is the future if there is no understanding of the past ? Where is the vision if Taiwan's democracy and freedom will be again destoryed by autocracy ?

If 228 massacre is mere a story of no return, why should we memorized the bloody years. But if 228 massacre were to return eternally, people won't be so careless and so indifferent. For in the careless and the indifferent, history always finds the tunnel of return back to the future.

In this memorial page, we have collected some websites relative to the history of 228 massacre. We sincerely invite you learn this tragedy with us. We would like to encourage you think about Taiwan's future as you read this tragedy. Hope you can find the answer from the story and share the answer with us.

THE TRAGDIC BEGINNING...

Dr. KYIOSHI ITO : The 228 Incident

TAIWAN'S HOLOCAUST REMEMBERED : 28 February 1947

I LOVE TAIWAN CLUB : Knowing 228

GEORGE H. KERR : Formosa Betrayed

TAIWAN COLLEGIAN : 228 Massacre

KNOWING OTHER TRAGEDIES IN THE WORLD...

SSSSSSSS	MEMORIZE 228	SSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSSSSSSS	" If the French Revolution were to recur eternally, French historians would be less proud of Robespierre. But because they deal with something that will not return, the bloody years of the Revolution have turned into mere words, theories, and discussions, have become lighter than feathers, frightening no one. There is an infinite difference between a Robespierre who occurs only once in history and a Robespierre who eternally returns, chopping off French heads. Not long ago, I caught myself experiencing a most incredible sensation. Leafing through a book on Hitler, I was touched by some of his portraits: they remind me of my childhood. I grew up during the war; several members of my family perished in Hitler's concentration camps; but what were their deaths compared with the memories of a lost period in my life, a period that would never return ? This reconciliation with Hitler reveals the profound moral perversity of a world that rests essentially on the nonexistence of return, for in this world everything is pardoned in advance and therefore everything is cynically permitted. " -- Milan Kundra, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" 228 massacre, happened in 28 February 1947, is one of the cruelest tragedies of Taiwanese history. Thousands of Taiwanese people were killed by the troops of the Nationalist Chinese who took over Taiwan from Japanese colonization after World War II. National terrorism oppressed the Taiwanese lasted for several decades. Innocent plebeians, students, teachers, professors, doctors, lawyers, journalists, congressmen, writers, and gentry were arrested, murdered, imprisoned, or banished. Until recently, many Taiwanese did not know about these incidents either. For almost forty years after World War II, the Taiwanese lived under martial law, unable to learn their history, afraid to ask. After Taiwanese people's struggling for years, February 28 has been legislated as the national memorial day of Taiwan in 1997. However, several vital official documents and files relative to 228 massacre are still unable to be revealed, several victims are still unable to be rehabilitated or are even unknown. Murderers are still out of punishment. Seeling their eyes, the politicians showed their sorrow at the commemoration of 228. They urged people to forgive the misery and to embrace the happiness, they asked peopole to forget the past and to look forward the future, they addressed 228 is mere a story of no return. But where is the forgiveness and happiness if there is no confession of the misery ? Where is the future if there is no understanding of the past ? Where is the vision if Taiwan's democracy and freedom will be again destoryed by autocracy ? If 228 massacre is mere a story of no return, why should we memorized the bloody years. But if 228 massacre were to return eternally, people won't be so careless and so indifferent. For in the careless and the indifferent, history always finds the tunnel of return back to the future. In this memorial page, we have collected some websites relative to the history of 228 massacre. We sincerely invite you learn this tragedy with us. We would like to encourage you think about Taiwan's future as you read this tragedy. Hope you can find the answer from the story and share the answer with us. THE TRAGDIC BEGINNING... Dr. KYIOSHI ITO : The 228 Incident TAIWAN'S HOLOCAUST REMEMBERED : 28 February 1947 I LOVE TAIWAN CLUB : Knowing 228 GEORGE H. KERR : Formosa Betrayed TAIWAN COLLEGIAN : 228 Massacre KNOWING OTHER TRAGEDIES IN THE WORLD...	SSSSSSSSSSSSSS
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